In a decisive yet somber move, Montenegro’s state-owned shipping company Crnogorska plovidba is preparing to sell its only two vessels, the Kotor and 21. maj, marking what could be the final chapter for the once-ambitious maritime venture.
The decision, formally ratified at the shareholders’ assembly, enacts the government’s plan to offload the ships following value assessments, likely ending their service under the Montenegrin flag.
Executive Director Vladimir Tadić, citing structural inefficiencies and unsustainable costs, admitted there’s no clarity on the company’s fate, with only nine employees remaining.
Meanwhile, the Kotor, stranded in Savannah, Georgia, faces mounting debt; the vessel has now been pledged as collateral to cover liabilities.
As the government eyes a transparent international sale, questions linger about Montenegro’s maritime identity and whether this sale signals the quiet dismantling of a national symbol.
